Church defends self in suit against bishop-elect

Others summoned include Rev Luwum, and Mr Francis Gimara, who is the diocesan chancellor and chairperson of the Nomination Committee, the Province of the Church of Uganda, and the Diocese of Northern Uganda.

But Mr Gimara, in his defence filed through Nimungu Associated Advocates on November 2, denied all allegations and asked the court to dismiss the case due to irregularities and lack of merit in the case.

He also asked that the case be rejected and struck out with costs since it does not disclose any cause of action and that it also breached the confidentiality obligations of the complainant’s oath of secrecy.

“The complainant (Mr Tom Mboya Okecho) swore an Oath of Secrecy as a member of the Nominations Committee of the Diocese of Northern Uganda before the Applicant, to abide and hold secret the proceedings and outcome of the meeting of the Nominations Committee held on July 10, 2021,” he said.

Mr Girama said the Synod of the diocese followed the right procedure including convening all the required meetings.

On July 10, the Northern Uganda Diocesan Synod chaired by Mr Gimara, convened at St Philips Cathedral and nominated Rev Luwum and Rev Patrick Lumumba as candidates to be presented to the House of Bishops for elections as new bishop.

Rev Luwum serves as the Vicar of Christ Church in Gulu City while Rev Lumumba serves as the diocesan secretary.

Meanwhile on August 12, the House of Bishops sat at Lweza Training and Conference Centre, Entebbe and elected Rev Luwum as the 8th bishop of the diocese. He is set to be consecrated and enthroned on November 21 at St Philip’s Cathedral to succeed the Rev Johnson Gakumba, who has been bishop of the diocese since 2009.

Rev Luwum in a separate defence filed at Gulu High Court on November 2 denied the allegations labelled against him. He said he had no role and influence on the nominations committee.

Background
On October 19, Mr Okecho and Mr Emmanuel Omwony, both lay leaders of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, filed a lawsuit citing several irregularities in the election of the bishop.

The duo want court to, among others, declare the manner and process in which Rev Luwum was selected in violation of the Church of Uganda Constitution and Provincial Canon.

They also want court to declare Rev Luwum’s election null and void.

In their suit, the applicants contend that Gimara acted illegally to preside over the diocesan nomination exercise while aware that his term of office had expired in 2009 and that he had not been reappointed by the Diocesan Council.

The appointments of Mr Moses Cik and Rev George Ludwero to sit on the Nominations Committee during the nomination process are also questioned.

On July 12, a petition pointing out alleged irregularities in the nomination process signed by Mr Mboya was sent to Archbishop Kaziimba. However, the Church of Uganda House of bishops disregarded the petition and declared Rev Luwum as the bishop-elect.